HALTOM CITY
A Muslim civil rights group is calling on municipal courts to change their policies so that people wearing head coverings for religious reasons are allowed in the courtroom.
The Dallas-Fort-Worth chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-DFW) held a press conference Thursday afternoon outside of the Haltom City Municipal Court after Kendra Montemayor posted a video on Facebook saying that she was told Tuesday morning she couldn’t enter the courtroom because of her hijab.
The municipal court updated its policy to allow head coverings for religious reasons.
Montemayor said she was embarrassed and humiliated.
She said she converted to Islam in 2011 and has worn her hijab daily.
“A hijab is a protection prescribed by Allah to cover up those adornments, your hair, your beauty. It is to protect us from harassment,” Montemayor said.
Faizan Syed, executive director of CAIR-DFW, said it is a positive step forward that Municipal Court Judge Loraine Irby changed the policy to allow a head covering when they are part of someone’s religion, but said more needs to be done in North Texas because there are municipal courts without such policies.
“Kendra was almost denied her constitutional rights,” Syed said. “She was targeted simply because of her religion, simply because she was told to wear the hijab.”
When asked how many courts do not allow head coverings, Syed said it is difficult to know because the judges set their courtroom policies, and they are difficult to find online.
He said that last year CAIR filed a complaint after a Muslim woman went to the Saginaw Municipal Court and was told she could not come in because of the hijab.
However, Saginaw City Manager Gabe Reaume said he could not find a record of a complaint filed against the municipal judge or the court.